Torpedo-deflector.



F. W. PENDERGAST. TORPEDO DEFLECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1917- Patented.- Feb. 26, 1918.

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FREDERICK W. PENDEBGAST, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TORPEDO-DEFLECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F REDERICK W. PEN- DERGAST, a citizen of they United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Torpedo-Deflectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide, as an attachment for the hull ofa ship, a device adapted to be rotated by the movement of the ship through the water, and to deflect downwardly a torpedo approaching the side of the ship, and thus cause the torpedo to pass harmlessly under the keel.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 isa-a perspective view of a portion of the side of a ship, showing the torpedo deflector embodying my invention connected therewith.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the deflector, and a sectional view of a portion of the side of a ship.

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig.2, showing a. modification.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

To the side 12 of a ship I connect the inner ends of two arms or booms 13, preferably by hinges 14 adapted to permit the arms to swing relatively to the ship, and to be stored inoperatively against the side, means being provided for confining the arms in their operative position, that is to say, substantially at right angles with the side, and their outer ends below the water line.

The arms 13 may be spaced apart any distance that may be desired. For example, one arm may be connected with the ship near the bow and the other near the stern.

On the outer end of each arm is mounted a loosely rotating screw-propeller which in- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lFgh, 2%, mam, Application filed May 4, 1917.

Serial No. 166,329.

substantially parallel with each other and with the axes of the propellers and the sides of the ship when the device is in operation. The arrangement of the propeller blades is such that when the ship is moving forward, they are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows, their rotation causing the deflecting members 20 to revolve in the same direction. The propellers and deflecting members are below the water line and in the path of a. torpedo approaching the side of the ship. It will be seen, therefore, that when the ship is moving forward, a torpedo entering the field in which the deflecting members are revolving will be tipped downwardly by said deflectors and caused to dive harmlessly under the keel of the ship. 'The arms 13 may be supported against downward swinging movement by guyropes 22, extending from the outer end portions of said arms to the rail of the ship and there suitably secured. To prevent backward swinging movement of the arms when the ship is moving forward, I connect the outer end portion of the forward arm with the bow portion of the ship by an obliquely extending guy-rope 23, constituting a tension member. The deflecting members 20 connecting the front and rear of the propellers also constitute tension members whereby backward swinging movement of the rear propeller and the rear arm 13 is prevented. The several guy-ropes may be employed to secure the arms, propellers and deflecting members inoperatively stored against the side of the ship.

Additional deflecting members 20 may be provided as shown by Fig. 3, and the same may be attached to supporting members 25 extending between the blades of each propeller. The parts called screw-propellers may be rotary bodies of any suitable form adapted to be rotated in a given direction by movement through water, and to support and revolve deflecting members.

I claim:

1. A torpedo deflector comprising a rotary deflecting structure including coaxial end members adapted to be rotated in a given direction by movement through water and elongated deflecting members extending between said end members substantially parallel with the axes of the latter, and means for supporting said structure spaced from the side of a ship with the deflecting members extending lengthwise of the ship in position to downwardly deflect a torpedo approaching the ship.

2. A torpedo deflector comprising arms secured at their inner ends to the sides of a deflecting member to revolve in the direction required to downwardly deflect a torpedo approaching the'ship. V e

3. A torpedo deflector comprising arms hinged to the side of a ship, guy-ropes connecting the outer end portions of the arms with the ship, and operatively confining said arms against downw rd swinging movement, a guy-rope connecting the forward arm with the bow portion of the ship and arranged to prevent a horizontal swinging movement of said arm, screw-propellers journaled at the outer ends of the arms, and adapted to be rotated by movement through the water, said propellers being below the water line, and flexible deflecting members extending from one propeller to the other,

the direction of rotation of the propellers.

being such as to cause each deflecting member to revolve in the direction required to downwardly deflect a torpedo approaching the ship, the said deflecting members constituting tension members prevei'lting backward swinging movement of the rear arm.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

his 1 FREDERICK W. X PENDERGAST.

mark lVitnesses C. F; Brown, E. BATGHELDER.

Copies ofithis patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

